Skip to content

IFC at a glance

Full name

Industry Foundation Classes

Maintained by

buildingSMART International

Standard

ISO 16739-1:2024

Extensions

.ifc, .ifcXML, .ifcZIP

Current version

IFC 4.3.2.0 · IFC 4 and IFC 2x3 still common

Carries

Geometry and semantics: elements, properties, relationships

3D InterOp
Read Write

IFC 4.3 support

  • Building software that needs to read or write IFC?

    3D InterOp is an SDK that lets your application import and export IFC alongside 30+ CAD and BIM formats.
Extension What it is 3D InterOp

.ifc

STEP Physical File; the recommended exchange format for IFC 2x3, IFC 4 and IFC 4.3

Read and write

.ifcXML

XML serialization of the same schema

Write: no

.ifcZIP

Compressed container holding an .ifc or .ifcXML file

Write: no

  • Identity and types

    Element identity and machine-readable object types

  • Properties

    Materials and performance properties

  • Spatial structure

    Site, building, storeys and spaces

  • Relationships

    Connections and ownership between elements

  • Cost and schedules

    Cost-related information and work schedules

  • Operations

    Data for handover and facility management

Version Status
IFC 4.3 (4.3.2.0) Latest official release, published as ISO 16739-1:2024. Extends IFC to infrastructure.
IFC 4 Earlier official version, still widely encountered
IFC 2x3 Older version, still widely encountered in practice
  • Spatial doesn't provide an IFC viewer or converter for end users. 3D InterOp is for software developers who want their own application to read and write IFC.
  • Not every tool supports all of IFC

    Implementations are version-specific and often limited to one model view definition. Compatibility depends on both the file's version and the scope a tool implements.
  • Treating IFC as a geometry file

    IFC carries semantic and relational data, so data quality matters as much as shapes.

  • Assuming a valid export

    A file named .ifc isn't automatically compliant. buildingSMART offers an official IFC Validation Service and software scorecards for that reason.
  • Revit

    Autodesk BIM projects and families
    Revit
  • DGN

    MicroStation design files
    DGN
  • Navisworks (NWD)

    Combined review models
    Navisworks (NWD)
  • BS 1192

    Construction information management
    BS 1192
  • COBie

    Asset data for handover
    COBie
  • Industry · BIM / AEC

    3D InterOp for AEC and BIM applications

    Support for major AEC, BIM and plant design formats, so your application can cover a construction project's entire lifecycle.
  • Add IFC import and export to your software

    Evaluate 3D InterOp on your own models with support from Spatial's engineers.

Learn Valuable Insights on our Blog

9 Min Read
Insider
Meet Frédéric Jacqmin, VP of Worldwide Business Development at Spatial, bridging civil engineering roots and 14 years at...
3 Min Read
Manufacturing & Fabrication
We interviewed a Spatial client: COSCOM at EMO Hannover 2025. Thank you for your time Knut Mersch!
3 Min Read
Manufacturing & Fabrication
We interviewed a Spatial client: GO2cam at EMO Hannover 2025. Thank you for your time Eric Gerval!
12 Min Read
Insider
Meet Shad Reeves, Software Engineering Director at Spatial, leading a 42-person global R&D team behind one of the mo...
3 Min Read
Manufacturing & Fabrication
We interviewed a Spatial client: TopSolid at EMO Hannover 2025. Thank you for your time Patrice Tiberi!
2 Min Read
3D Modeling
Engineers spend over half their time prepping CAD data before the real work begins. Here's how digital continuity from d...